History Books

Book SynopsisAn arresting and poignant cultural history of graveyards, from early burial sites to now. Why, how and where do we inter our dead? How do we set out to remember them? The Pyramids of Giza, the catacombs and columbaria of Rome and the cenotaphs erected to the world's war dead are but some of the answers. In inimitable style, Roger Luckhurst probes the often moving, sometimes contested ways in which people throughout history have responded to the problem' of laying the dead to rest. Blending history, art, literature and popular culture, Graveyards explores the various different aspects of the treatment of the dead. Chapters range from early burials and the emergence of necropolises and catacombs, to grave-robbing, garden cemeteries and the perilous overcrowding of the urban dead, to monuments for deceased heroes and rulers and the development of modern memorial culture. The products of our persistent fascination with graveyards are everywhere in literature, art, film and television, and Luckhurst engages these cultural afterlives alongside grave sites' particular social and historical contexts. Illustrations throughout offer insights into the rich and unusual visual culture of the grave: helpful guides and provisions for the afterlife, tender dedications, gravestones and effigies sit with memento mori paintings, artistic visions of the underworld and stills from classic horror. Beautifully designed and carefully researched, this book takes a lyrical, unexpected look at graveyards as both site and symbol.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIn this surprising, accessible and often counterintuitive book Bregman explores some brilliant but simple ideas for making a better world -- Brian EnoThis is a Read Now book. Nothing dystopian about this one: a practical set of ideas for how the next generation can do better -- Jeanette WintersonIf you're bored with hackneyed debates, decades-old right-wing and left-wing clichés, you may enjoy the bold thinking, fresh ideas, lively prose, and evidence-based arguments in Utopia for Realists -- Steven Pinker, author of 'The Language Instinct'This is a book stuffed full of ideas, presented persuasively and pithily, but it is also just a part of the new zeitgeist – which is why it is one for today’s dreamers and tomorrow’s realists -- Danny Dorling * Times Higher Educational Supplement *Rutger Bregman is the most exciting radical thinker of my generation. If you read him and you aren’t thrilled, mentally expanded, and infused with hope, call for the undertaker - I suspect you’ve died. Oh - and did I mention he is a beautiful writer too? -- Johann Hari, Sunday Times bestselling-author of 'Lost Connections'Listen out for Rutger Bregman. He has a big future shaping the future -- Andrew Anthony * Observer *The Dutch wunderkind of new ideas * Guardian *An excellent read and full of well-told stories and details I didn’t know -- Tim Harford, author of The Undercover EconomistIf you’re fed up with moaning, you owe it to yourself to read this book * Evening Standard *If energy, enthusiasm and aphorism could make the world better, then Rutger Bregman’s book would do it ... The writing is powerful and fluent ... A boisterously good read * Independent *It’s a wonderful, well-written book, easily the crispest and least dry explanation of the research and history behind basic income as an idea I’ve seen in print. The sixth chapter, on the bizarre history of Richard Nixon’s 1970 plan for a negative income tax, is worth the price of admission alone * Vox *I was moved and convinced by Bregman saying we might not achieve Utopia but could find solace in working towards a fairer world ... This book is energetic, passionate and rigorously intelligent. His commonsensical ideas deserve to be gratefully welcomed -- Jake Kerridge * Sunday Express *You may not dream the same dreams as Bregman – but he invites you to take dreaming seriously. For that alone, this book is worth a read -- Will Hutton * Observer *Brilliant, comprehensive, truly enlightening, and eminently readable Obligatory reading for everyone worried about the wrongs of present-day society and wishing to contribute to their cure -- Zygmunt Bauman, Professor Emeritus of Leeds University and one of the world's most eminent social theoristsA wonderfully readable breath of fresh air, a window thrown open to a better future ... Bregman combines deep research with wit, challenging us to think anew about how we want to live and who we want to be. Required reading -- Philipp Blomm, author of 'The Vertigo Years'Superbly written, upbeat, insightful -- Philippe van Parijs, Harvard University professor and co-founder of the Basic Income Earth NetworkIf you'd like to see a fairer world but don't know how to get there, this book is for you. Bregman brilliantly shows how ideas commonly dismissed as utopian are eminently possible, indeed have almost happened -- Ben Rawlence, Ben Rawlence, author of 'City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp'Bregman shows us we’ve been looking at the world inside out. Turned right way out we suddenly see fundamentally new ways forward. If we can get enough people to read this book, the world will start to become a better place -- Richard Wilkinson, co-author of The Spirit LevelA boisterously good read -- John Rentoul * Independent *Rutger Bregman makes a compelling case for Universal Basic Income with a wealth of data and rooted in a keen understanding of the political and intellectual history of capitalism. He shows the many ways in which human progress has turned a Utopia into a Eutopia – a positive future that we can achieve with the right policies -- Albert Wenger, entrepreneur and partner at Union Square Ventures, early backers of Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare, Etsy and KickstarterThe impact of this book in the Netherlands has been huge. Not only did Rutger Bregman launch a highly successful and long-running debate in the media, he also inspired a movement across the country that is putting his ideas into practice. Now it’s time for the rest of the world -- Joris Luyendijk, author of Swimming with SharksI loved it … Bregman takes an idea you think sounds daft and does a brilliant job of persuading you it isn’t daft at all -- James Rebanks, author of 'The Shepherd’s Life'A wonderful call to utopian thinking around incomes and the workweek, and a welcome antidote to the pessimism surrounding robots taking our jobs -- Charles Kenny, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and author of The Upside of DownA bold call for utopian thinking … Highly recommended! -- Nick Srnicek, co-author of Inventing the FutureA short, sharp big ideas book set to make waves * Sunday Express *Superbly written, upbeat, insightful -- Philippe van Parijs, Harvard University professor and co-founder of the Basic Income Earth NetworkUtopia for Realists is tipped to be a bestseller in English as it was in its original Dutch -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Bregman writes with energy, verve and panache … Utopia for Realists will probably be a terrific hit -- Ian Martin * The Times *Bregman has many tightly-spun arguments, case studies, and statistics … He treats his topic with an accessible style and touch of humour * Western Mail *Bregman’s book is breezy, wide-ranging and littered with interesting examples and research. It has something of the flavour of Freakonomics * Sunday Times *Energetic, passionate and rigorously intelligent. His commonsensical ideas deserve to be gratefully welcomed * Sunday Express *A brilliantly written page-turner. It goes into serious depth, without ever feeling dense, as it weaves its way through the challenges we face and onto proposals for doing things differently -- Caroline Lucas * Independent *Fantastic… Bregman will help you raise your spirits and banish your Brexit blues * The National *The questions that Bregman poses must be addressed, and urgently * The New Scientist *

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Book SynopsisThe vast military campaigns in Africa during World War I were among the most ambitious of the Great War. Many histories, however, have regarded these campaigns as side-shows to the war on the Western Front. World War One in Africa looks afresh at the impact of the strategy of the German and Allied campaigns, and at the great rivalry between General Jan Christian Smuts, who took on the German forces in East Africa, and General Lettow-Vorbeck, celebrated as the only German general to occupy British territory and whose troops finished the war undefeated. Using primary material from British and South African archives, this book is a detailed study of the giants of the campaign, and the battles which would shape the outcome of the Great War as well as the future of the African continent and the British Empire.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Position on the eve of war Chapter 2: To war, 1914 Chapter 3: The outbreak of war: Southern Africa, 1914 Chapter 4: German South West Africa, Angola and Southern Africa - 1915 Chapter 5: War on the waters and in the air - 1915-1917 Chapter 6: East Africa 1915-1917 Chapter 7: Personal, personnel and materiel Chapter 8: Last days - 1918 Chapter 9: Behind the scenes - 1915-1918 Chapter 10: The war in London - 1915-1917 Chapter 11: All for what? Chapter 12: Conclusions Notes Bibliography Forces Index Person Index Place Index General Index

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Book SynopsisFareed Zakaria first warned of the threat of illiberal democracy two decades ago. Now comes Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present. A decade in the making, the book is based on deep research and conversations with world leaders from Emmanuel Macron to Lee Kuan Yew. In it Zakaria sets our era of populist chaos into the sweep of history. Age of Revolutions tells the story of progress and backlash, of the rise of classical liberalism and of the many periods of rage and counter-revolution that followed seismic change. It begins with the upstart Dutch Republic, the first modern republic and techno-superpower where refugees and rebels flocked for individual liberty. That haven for liberalism was almost snuffed out by force until Dutch ideas leapt across the English Channel in the so-called Glorious Revolution. Not all revolutions were so glorious, however. The French Revolution shows us the dangers of radical change that is imposed top-down. Lasting change comes bottom-up, like the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the United States, which fuelled the rise of the world's modern superpowers and gave birth to the political divides we know today. Even as Britain and America boomed, technology unsettled society and caused backlash from machine-smashing Luddites and others who felt threatened by this new world. In the second half of the book, Zakaria details the revolutions that have convulsed our times: globalization in overdrive, digital transformation, the rise of identity politics, and the return of great power politics with a vengeful Russia and an ascendant China. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jingping see a world upended by liberalism and want to turn back the clock on democracy, women's rights, and open societies. Even more dangerous than aggression abroad is democratic decay at home. This populist and cultural backlash that has infected the West threatens the very foundations of the world that the Enlightenment built and that we all take too easily for granted. The book warns us that liberalism's great strength has been freeing people from arbitrary constraintsbut its great weakness has been leaving individuals isolated, to figure out for themselves what makes for a good life. This void the hole in the heart can all too easily be filled by tribalism, populism, and identity politics. Today's revolutions in technology and culture can even leave people so adrift that they turn against modernity itself.

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Book SynopsisA rollicking account of pirates' codes, the strict rules essential for survival at sea.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022WINNER OF THE POL ROGER DUFF COOPER PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONSHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE Eleven years when Britain had no king.In 1649 Britain was engulfed by revolution.On a raw January afternoon, the Stuart king, Charles I, was executed for treason. Within weeks the English monarchy had been abolished and the useless and dangerous' House of Lords discarded. The people, it was announced, were now the sovereign force in the land. What this meant, and where it would lead, no one knew.The Restless Republic is the story of the extraordinary decade that followed. It takes as its guides the people who lived through those years. Among them is Anna Trapnel, the daughter of a Deptford shipwright whose visions transfixed the nation. John Bradshaw, the Cheshire lawyer who found himself trying the King. Marchamont Nedham, the irrepressible newspaper man and puppet master of propaganda. Gerrard Winstanley, who strove for a Utopia of common owTrade Review‘Her narrative brims with life, colour, humour and humanity … A dazzling achievement, and I loved every page’ Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times ‘In this ceaselessly fascinating account of one of the most epochal events in the country’s history, the deserved winner of the Pol Roger Duff Cooper prize, Anna Keay skilfully delves beneath the well-worn cliches about the Commonwealth and brings a time of quiet, uncertain and ultimately fruitless revolution to vivid life. It is hard to imagine a better examination of the Protectorat’ Alexander Larman, Observer ‘This is an exceptional book about an exceptional time … meticulously researched and deftly drawn character studies … A triumph’ John Adamson, author of The Noble Revolt ‘An exceptional feat of imaginative engagement. Never have the kingless years been made so vivid, and never has vividness contributed so much to the understanding of them. Keay has brought off an ingenious literary experiment… An entrancing achievement’ Blair Worden, TLS ‘Wonderful…. Tells the story of how the British and Irish people came to be who they are’ Clive Myrie ‘Deft, confident, deeply learned and provocative’ Rory Stewart ‘[A] vivid panorama … Keay conjures up with nuance and panache the single most fascinating decade in the history of Britain and Ireland, revealing it to be at once weirdly ancient and strangely modern’ Paul Lay, The Times ‘Keay offers us a world turned upside down; but also a world made real. That’s a remarkable achievement’ Adrian Tinniswood, Sunday Telegraph ***** ‘Readers both expert and casual will revel in seeing this period brought to noisy, brash, colourful [life] by the skilled pen of a natural storyteller’ Aspects of History

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Book SynopsisThe best-selling London's Hidden Walks Volume 1 is back, in a new and updated third edition! Following any of the 12 walks featured in the book will allow the reader to walk in the footsteps of authors and statesmen, murderers and revolutionaries. It has proved a great success with all those who enjoy exploring London.

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Book Synopsis''A history that somehow manages to be at once succinct and sweeping: essential reading for anyone interested in this most fascinating of countries'' - Tom HollandIn this enormously enjoyable introduction to a remarkable country, Christopher Harding traces Japan''s rich history over several millennia. Beginning with its earliest coastal communities through to the spread of Buddhism, the rise of the warlords, the promise and menace of the West and Japan''s own empire-building, Harding explores how a distinctly Japanese society and culture was forged.Drawing on the latest scholarship, A Short History of Japan moves beyond traditional tourist-board clichés to consider Japan''s own view of its past, values and culture, from ceramics and theatre to food and architecture. The result is a sensory, tactile history, where the reader experiences all the pleasures of a visit to Japan: a bolt of silk or a warm bowl of ramen; the feel and scent of tatami underfoot; the warmth of slipping into a hot spring bath. Harding skilfully shows how these everyday details are intimately bound up with the bigger historical picture, as an expression of the values that have been extraordinarily successful in helping the country to cope with centuries of radical change.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook is endorsed by OCR and supports the specification for A-Level Classical Civilisation (first teaching September 2017). It covers Components 31 and 34 from the ''Beliefs and Ideas'' Component Group: Greek Religion by Athina Mitropoulos and Julietta Steinhauer Democracy and the Athenians by Tim Morrison and James RenshawWhy was worshipping the gods so important to ancient Greek life? To what extent did Greeks question religious belief? How and why did the Athenians invent democracy? How does Athenian democracy compare with democracy today? Drawing on modern scholarship and using a wide variety of illustrations, this book guides A-Level students to a greater understanding of these issues. It explores the fundamental features of Greek religion, as well as its major centres such as Delphi and Olympia. It then moves on to analyse the development and workings of Athenian democracy, as well as reflecting on ancient critiques of it, both celebratory and critical. TheTable of ContentsIntroduction How to Use This Book Greek Religion Democracy and the Athenians Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisThis Britain: Migration, Empires and the People c790-Present Day Revision Guide is part of the popular Oxford AQA GCSE 9-1 History series. Written by our original author team to match the new AQA 9-1 GCSE specification, this guide covers exactly what your students require to succeed in the Paper 2 Migration Thematic Study exams. - Recap key events with clear visual diagrams and brief points- Apply knowledge with targeted revision activities that tests basic comprehension, then apply understanding towards exam-style questions- Review and track revision with progress checklists, suggested activity answers and Exam Practice sections- Step-by-step exam guidance based on the popular ''How to...'' student book feature- Examiner Tip features most up-to-date expert advice and identifies common exam mistakes - Boost student confidence on all AQA GCSE Migration question types with revision activities such Source analysis and SignificancePerfect for use alongside the Student Book or as a stand-

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Book Synopsis A BEHIND THE SCENES GLIMPSE INTO THE LIVES OF HENRY VIII, ANNE BOLEYN, ELIZBAETH I AND MORE, FROM BESTSELLING HISTORIAN TRACY BORMAN Readers LOVE The Private Lives of the Tudors:''A truly informative and thoroughly enjoyable read.'' ?????''It was an absolutely delight, and I read it in record time'' ?????''I found this book riveting and took it on holiday!'' ????? ----''I do not live in a corner. A thousand eyes see all I do.'' Elizabeth IThe Tudor monarchs were constantly surrounded by an army of attendants, courtiers and ministers. Even in their most private moments, they were accompanied by a servant specifically appointed for the task. A groom of the stool would stand patiently by as Henry VIII performed his daily purges, and when Elizabeth I retired for the evening, one of her female servants would sleep at the end of her bed.These attendants knew the truth behind the glamorous exterTrade ReviewBorman approaches her topic with huge enthusiasm and a keen eye for entertaining...this is a very human story of a remarkable family, full of vignettes that sit long in the mind. -- Dan Jones * The Sunday Times *Tracy Borman's eye for detail is impressive; the book is packed with fascinating courtly minutiae... this is a wonderful book. * The Times *Borman is an authoritative and engaging writer, good at prising out those humanising details that make the past alive to us. * The Observer *A riveting behind-the-scenes re-creation of court life. * The Bookseller *A rich and intimate portrait. * Stylist *The glittering, jewel-encrusted private world of Britain's five Tudor monarchs is gloriously brought to life here. * The Scotsman *Fascinating, detailed account of the everyday reality of the royals... This is a book of rich scholarship. Tracy Borman is a chief curator of Historic Royal Palaces and she knows her Tudor history inside out. * Daily Mail *Tracy Borman's passion for the Tudor period shines forth from the pages of this fascinatingly detailed book, which vividly illuminates what went on behind the scenes at the Tudor court. Reading it is as good as looking through a keyhole, because it keeps its focus on the personal and private lives of the ever-intriguing Tudors, revealing their most intimate moments and even their poignant vulnerability - a far cry from the public images we have of them. * Alison Weir *For Borman, the intimate particulars of everyday life are what help the past come bracingly, stirringly alive. Her full-quivered social history of the Tudor monarchs furnishes readers with a 'Hey, did you know...?' on almost every page...Social history lives and dies in the integrity of its details, and this authoritative work teems with well-sourced material. * New York Times *Borman's book is a winner. * The Express *

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Book SynopsisFrom 1926 onward, Sinn Féin, which had been instrumental in the revolutionary period of 1919–23, faded into oblivion. This book unravels a chapter of history that has not been dealt with in detail until now, although the operation of the party raises fundamental questions on issues such as democracy and the role of history in the construction of a national narrative. Through a close analysis of newspaper reports, fortnightly Standing committee minutes, and interviews carried out by the author, it looks at the manner in which the party operated and put itself forward as the guardian of Republicanism in Ireland. The book offers a valuable insight into the meaning of Republicanism, and its narrative represents an integral part of the political and social fabric of contemporary Irish society, which will be of relevance to academics and to all readers with an interest in Irish republicanism.Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Pragmatism versus principles, 1923–322. Oblivion, 1932–19453. The Funds Case, 1941–19484. Sinn Féin, 'political wing' of the IRA, 1948–69Index

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Book SynopsisYou've seen the show, you've sung the songs, now read the full story of America's most misunderstood founding father. 'I was swept up by the story. I thought it 'out-Dickens' Dickens in the unlikeliness of this man's rise from his humble beginnings in Nevis in the Caribbean, to changing, helping shape our young nation. And it's uniquely an immigrant story and it's uniquely a story about writers... It's an amazing biography' LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA Alexander Hamilton was an illegitimate self-taught orphan from the Caribbean who overcame all the odds to become George Washington's aide-de-camp and the first Treasury Secretary of the United States. Few figures in American history are more controversial than Alexander Hamilton. In this masterful work, Chernow shows how the political and economic power of America today is the result of Hamilton's willingness to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time. He charts his titanic feuds with Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Monroe and Burr; his highly public affair with Maria Reynolds; his loving marriage to his loyal wife Eliza; and the notorious duel with Aaron Burr that led to his death in July 1804.Trade ReviewA mammoth work of research that charted the course of Hamilton's dazzling career and the dark controversies that accompanied it * Guardian *A magnificent biography * Spectator *An elegantly written, richly detailed account of Hamilton's tempestuous life * The Times *Nobody has captured Hamilton better than Chernow * New York Times Book Review *Chernow charts his way through Hamilton's hectic life, and the tumultuous times in which he lived, with aplomb * Military History Monthly *That biography is incredible. It out-Dickenses Charles Dickens -- Lin-Manuel MirandaA brilliant recreation of the society and culture of the time: thoughtful and playful, moving and powerful -- Michael Gove

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Book Synopsis'Sicily is the key to everything' Johann Wolfgang von Goethe The author of the classic book on Venice turns his sights to Sicily in this beautiful book full of maps and colour photographs.'I discovered Sicily almost by mistake . . .We drove as far as Naples, then put the car on the night ferry to Palermo. There was a degree of excitement in the early hours when we passed Stromboli, emitting a rich glow every half-minute or so like an ogre puffing on an immense cigar; and a few hours later, in the early morning sunshine, we sailed into the Conca d'Oro, the Golden Shell, in which the city lies. Apart from the beauty of the setting, I remember being instantly struck by a change in atmosphere. The Strait of Messina is only a couple of miles across and the island is politically part of Italy; yet somehow one feels that one has entered a different world . . . This book is, among other things, an attempt to analyse why this should be.' The stepping stone between Europe and Africa, the gateway between the East and the West, at once a stronghold, clearing-house and observation post, Sicily has been invaded and fought over by Phoenicians and Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans, Goths and Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, Germans, Spaniards and the French for thousands of years. It has belonged to them all - and yet has properly been part of none. John Julius Norwich was inspired to become a writer by his first visit in 1961 and this book is the result of a fascination that has lasted over half a century. In tracing its dark story, he attempts to explain the enigma that lies at the heart of the Mediterranean's largest island. This vivid short history covers everything from erupting volcanoes to the assassination of Byzantine emperors, from Nelson's affair with Emma Hamilton to Garibaldi and the rise of the Mafia. Taking in the key buildings and towns, and packed with fascinating stories and unforgettable characters, Sicily is the book he was born to write.Trade ReviewThe most amiable and freewheeling of guides, Norwich will always find room for the amusing anecdote . . . Written Sicilian history dates back 2,500 years, so compressing it into one book means a swift and exhilarating gallop . . . Norwich renders it entertaining on every page * Sunday Times *Norwich tells the long, sad but fascinating story with sympathy and brio * Literary Review *Norwich is an authoritative historian, but his writing is charmingly personal . . . Sicily's political history is full of some much turbulence it's sometimes hard to keep track of the battles, murders and successions, but Norwich sketches personalities vividly . . . Norwich calls this book his 'valediction' to Sicily: he does the island and the reader a generous service in providing such an amiable introduction * Sunday Telegraph *John Julius Norwich, as he explains, began his writing career with a focus on Sicily during its Norman era, and now he has returned to produce this riotous, thoughtful journey through the island's rich and varied history . . . Norwich has produced an entertaining narrative * BBC History Magazine *Norwich is a perfectly informed guide * Week *Norwich combines authority with charmingly personal flair * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisArthur Gould is the definitive biography of the record-breaking Welsh international player who is widely acknowledged as the first superstar of rugby. Such was his fame and renown, that upon his tragic, early death in 1919, aged just 54, Gould's funeral in Newport was reported as the biggest Wales had ever seen. Nicknamed 'Monkey' due to his childhood fondness for climbing trees, Gould played the majority of his club rugby for Newport RFC and won a then-record 27 Welsh caps; 25 of which were at centre (a record only bettered by Steve Fenwick in 1980); and captained his country 18 times (a record only beaten in 1994 by Ieuan Evans). A true sporting sensation, when he retired in 1899 Gould had played more first-class matches and scored more tries and drop goals than any other player. Gould's superstar status was illustrated late in his career when a testimonial appeal received widespread public support and resulted in the Scottish and Irish unions cancelling their fixtures with Wales in protest at the apparent breach of the game's strict amateur ethos. The controversy deepened when the Welsh Football Union (now the WRU) stood firmly behind their iconic player and withdrew from the International Rugby Board. Fearing that lucrative fixtures with Welsh clubs might be lost and that Wales might join forces with the newly established Northern Union of professional rugby, England's Rugby Football Union brokered a 'one-off' dispensation which enabled Gould to benefit from the testimonial while retaining his amateur status, and ensured that international fixtures were resumed. Comprehensively researched and written by acclaimed rugby historian, Gwyn Prescott, with the full support and encouragement of the Gould family, Arthur Gould - Rugby's First Superstar includes over 100 illustrations and will be enjoyed by all who love rugby and treasure its sporting and cultural heritage.Trade Review'We may never have seen him play but there is no doubt that those who did regarded Arthur Gould as one of the greatest sportsmen ever to wear the red shirt of Wales. His fame extended beyond the rugby field too and it is no exaggeration to describe him as the game's first superstar. This book is a fitting tribute to Gould. Intelligent, lively and intriguing, it matches its subject in its verve. Prescott's research is meticulous and he has done Gould and the histories of rugby and Wales itself proud.' Prof Martin Johnes; 'In vividly chronicling the life of rugby's first superstar, Gwyn Prescott has combined impeccable scholarship with an assured readability to produce a terrific book that enthrallingly evokes the world in which Welsh rugby union grew from infancy towards international importance and produced, in Arthur Gould's Newport, its first great club.' Huw Richards; 'The Gould family are delighted that the complete and definitive story of Arthur's colourful life and illustrious rugby career has at last been written, and in such a brilliant manner by Gwyn Prescott.' Gareth Harvey (Great-Great-Nephew of Arthur Gould)Table of ContentsIntroduction: "Arthur Gould Stands Alone" 1. A Sequence of Chance Events 2. Bob Leads the Way 3. "Monk" Breaks Through 4. History at Crown Flatt 5. Back in the "War Paint" 6. "Newport's Football King" 7. A Testimonial for a Football Prodigy 8. The Testimonial Comes Home 9. Extra Time Afterword Gould Brothers' International Matches & Scoring Record Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBestselling historian and broadcaster Tom Holland gives a thrilling panoramic account of the birth of the new Western Europe in the year 1000''An exhilarating sweep across European history either side of the year 1000; riveting'' ALLAN MASSIE, SPECTATOR''I relished the blood and thunder narrative - the work of a great storyteller at his best'' DOMINIC SANDBROOK, EVENING STANDARD''A splendid, highly coloured canvas'' NORMAN STONE, GUARDIANIn AD 900, few would have guessed that the splintering kingdoms of Europe were candidates for future greatness. Hemmed in by implacable enemies and an ocean, there were many who feared that they were nearing the time when the Antichrist would appear, heralding the world''s end. Instead there emerged a new civilisation. It was the age of Otto the Great and William the Conqueror, of Viking sea-kings, of hermits, monks and serfs. It witnessed the spread ofTrade Review** Fast and lively . . . another blockbuster * Jenny Diski, SUNDAY TIMES *** A mighty narrative of kings and popes, battles and massacres . . . A tremendously good read * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH MAGAZINE *'At last, a book that sheds much-needed light on those 1,000 years between Roman Britain and the Norman conquest that we call the dark ages * Sue Arnold GUARDIAN *'Holland tells a cracking tale, vividly bringing this neglected era of monks, popes, knights and serfs back to life * David Sinclair, TRIBUNE *

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Book SynopsisEmma Watson’s Our Shared Shelf book club choiceNew York Times bestseller ‘Fascinating’ Sunday Times ‘Thrilling’ ★★★★★ Mail on SundayAll they wanted was the chance to shine. Be careful what you wish for…‘The first thing we asked was, “Does this stuff hurt you?” And they said, “No.” The company said that it wasn’t dangerous, that we didn’t need to be afraid.’ As the First World War spread across the world, young American women flocked to work in factories, painting clocks, watches and military dials with a special luminous substance made from radium. It was a fun job, lucrative and glamorous – the girls shone brightly in the dark, covered head to toe in dust from the paint. However, as the years passed, the women began to suffer from myTrade Review'Kate Moore’s new book will move, shock and anger you.' * The Big Issue *‘This fascinating social history – one that significantly reflects on the class and gender of those involved – [is] Catherine Cookson meets Mad Men . . . The importance of the brave and blighted dial-painters cannot be overstated.’ * Sunday Times *‘Thrilling and carefully crafted.’ * Mail on Sunday *‘Heartfelt.’ * Sunday Telegraph *‘Kate Moore . . . writes with a sense of drama that carries one through the serpentine twists and turns of this tragic but ultimately uplifting story.’ * The Spectator *‘Fascinating yet tragic.’ * The Sun *‘Heartbreaking . . . what this book illustrates brilliantly is that battling for justice against big corporations isn’t easy.’ * BBC Radio 4, Woman’s Hour *‘A perfect blend of the historical, the scientific and the personal, this richly detailed book sheds a whole new light on this unique element and the role it played in changing workers’ rights. The Radium Girls makes it impossible for you to ignore these women’s incredible stories, and proves why now, more than ever, we can’t afford to ignore science, either.’ * Bustle *‘Carefully researched, the work will stun readers with its descriptions of the glittering artisans who, oblivious to health dangers, twirled camel-hair brushes to fine points using their mouths.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Moore’s harrowing but humane story describes the struggle of a few brave women who took their case to court in a fight for justice that is still resonant today.’ * Saga *‘Kate Moore’s The Radium Girls tells the story of a cohort of women who made history by entering the workforce at the dawn of a new scientific era . . . Moore sheds new light on a dark chapter in American labour history; the radium girls . . . live again in her telling.’ -- Megan Marshall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author‘Kate Moore’s gripping narrative about the betrayal of the radium girls – gracefully told and exhaustively researched – makes this a non-fiction classic. Moore’s compassion for her subjects and her story-telling prowess . . . bring alive a shameful era in America’s industrial history.’ -- Rinker Buck, author of The Oregon Trail

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A triumph' Guardian 'Glorious ... makes the past at once familiar, exotic and thrilling.' Dominic Sandbrook 'A brilliant book' Mail on Sunday Just like us, medieval men and women worried about growing old, got blisters and indigestion, fell in love and had children. And yet their lives were full of miraculous and richly metaphorical experiences radically different to our own, unfolding in a world where deadly wounds might be healed overnight by divine intervention, or the heart of a king, plucked from his corpse, could be held aloft as a powerful symbol of political rule. In this richly-illustrated and unusual history, Jack Hartnell uncovers the fascinating ways in which people thought about, explored and experienced their physical selves in the Middle Ages, from Constantinople to Cairo and Canterbury. Unfolding like a medieval pageant, and filled with saints, soldiers, caliphs, queens, monks and monstrous beasts, it throws light on the medieval body from head to toe - revealing the surprisingly sophisticated medical knowledge of the time in the process. Bringing together medicine, art, music, politics, philosophy and social history, there is no better guide to what life was really like for the men and women who lived and died in the Middle Ages. Medieval Bodies is published in association with Wellcome Collection.Trade ReviewA brilliant book ... beautifully illustrated ... A triumphant piece of historical writing -- Kathryn Hughes * Mail on Sunday *An extraordinary story and a wonderfully rich study of the Middle Ages ... Hartnell's idea of approaching the medieval worldview through the body is inspired ... This beautifully illustrated book succeeds brilliantly in bringing this much maligned period to life ... A triumph of scholarship. -- PD Smith * Guardian *One of the achievements of this splendid book is to make our world view seem more narrow and fragmented than that of the extensive period we place somewhere between the Dark Ages and the Renaissance ... at every point you'll encounter wit, learning and riveting stories. A wonderful read. -- Melanie McDonagh * Evening Standard *An erudite, wide-ranging, thoughtfully illustrated book -- Laura Freeman * The Times *'Glorious ... makes the past at once familiar, exotic and thrilling.' Dominic Sandbrook, The Sunday Times -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *A thick, spicy plum pudding of a book * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisIn the second part of John le Carré''s Karla Trilogy, the battle of wits between spymaster George Smiley and his Russian adversary takes on an even more dangerous dimension.George Smiley, now acting head of the Circus, must rebuild its shattered reputation after one of the biggest betrayals in its history. Using the talents of journalist and occasional spy Jerry Westerby, Smiley launches a risky operation uncovering a Russian money-laundering scheme in the Far East. His aim: revenge on Karla, head of Moscow Centre and the architect of all his troubles. ''Energy, compassion, rich and overwhelming sweep of character and action'' The Times''A remarkable sequel ... the achievement is in the characters, major and minor ... all burned on the brain of the reader'' The New York TimesTHE SIXTH GEORGE SMILEY NOVEL

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Book Synopsis'This is a devastating book. It is matter-of-fact, makes no attempt to score political points, does not attempt to solicit sympathy for its protagonist and yet is among the most chilling indictments of war I have ever read. Everybody, in particular every woman ought to read it' ARUNDHATI ROY 'One of the most important personal accounts ever written about the effects of war and defeat' ANTONY BEEVOR Between April 20th and June 22nd 1945 the anonymous author of A Woman in Berlin wrote about life within the falling city as it was sacked by the Russian Army. Fending off the boredom and deprivation of hiding, the author records her experiences, observations and meditations in this stark and vivid diary. Accounts of the bombing, the rapes, the rationing of food and the overwhelming terror of death are rendered in the dispassionate, though determinedly optimistic prose of a woman fighting for survival amidst the horror and inhumanity of war. This diary was first published in America in 1954 in an English translation and in Britain in 1955. A German language edition was published five years later in Geneva and was met with tremendous controversy. In 2003, over forty years later, it was republished in Germany to critical acclaim - and more controversy. This diary has been unavailable since the 1960s and this is a new English translation. A Woman in Berlin is an astonishing and deeply affecting account.Trade ReviewThis is a devastating book. It is matter-of-fact, makes no attempt to score political points, does not attempt to solicit sympathy for its protagonist and yet is among the most chilling indictments of war I have ever read. Everybody, in particular every woman ought to read it -- Arundhati RoyOne of the most important personal accounts ever written about the effects of war and defeat -- Antony BeevorThis is not an hysterical woman ... you simply cannot dismiss it ... profoundly, acutely embarrassing ... an insight into the resilience of people in an unknowable situation -- Robert SandhillComplex, closely observed diary by a woman living in conquered Berlin at the end of WWII * Kirkus Reviews *Let Anonymous stand witness as she wished to: as an undistorted voice for all women in war and its aftermath, whatever their names or nation or ethnicity. Anywhere * Los Angeles Times *An astonishing record of survival . . . the voice of Anonymous emerges as both shrewd and funny . . . a fresh contribution to the literature of war * Entertainment Weekly *A stunning account of a German woman's battle to survive repeated rape at the hands of the victors among the ruins of Berlin . . . While leaders plot their dreams of glory and victory, the lives of ordinary people--on all sides--are trampled and destroyed. A most salutary work -- David Hare * Guardian *The author has a fierce, uncompromising voice, and her book should become a classic of war literature * Publishers Weekly *Marvelous . . . As it is a human instinct to survive, this book, which could have been horrifying, is instead exhilarating: a rare tribute to the human spirit * Daily Mail *Coolly written, tearingly honest . . . This is a classic not only of war literature but also of writing at the very extreme of human suffering * Daily Telegraph *This is a devastating book. It is matter-of-fact, makes no attempt to score political points, does not attempt to solicit sympathy for its protagonist and yet is among the most chilling indictments of war I have ever read. Everybody, in particular every woman ought to read it. * Arundhati Roy, author of The Good of Small Things *Complex, closely observed diary by a woman living in conquered Berlin at the end of WWII. * Kirkus Reviews *Let Anonymous stand witness as she wished to: as an undistorted voice for all women in war and its aftermath, whatever their names or nation or ethnicity. Anywhere. * Los Angeles Times *An astonishing record of survival . . . the voice of Anonymous emerges as both shrewd and funny . . . a fresh contribution to the literature of war. * Entertainment Weekly *A riveting account of a military atrocity . . . The author doesn't try to explain or moralize the horror. She simply records it as perhaps no one else has, in all of its devastating essence. * The New York Observer *A stunning account of a German woman's battle to survive repeated rape at the hands of the victors among the ruins of Berlin . . . While leaders plot their dreams of glory and victory, the lives of ordinary people--on all sides--are trampled and destroyed. A most salutary work. -- David Hare * The Guardian *The author has a fierce, uncompromising voice, and her book should become a classic of war literature. * Publishers Weekly *Marvelous . . . As it is a human instinct to survive, this book, which could have been horrifying, is instead exhilarating: a rare tribute to the human spirit. * Daily Mail *Coolly written, tearingly honest . . . This is a classic not only of war literature but also of writing at the very extreme of human suffering. * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisWhen the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945, killing 100,000 men, women and children, a new era in human history opened. This book presents an account of six men and women who struggled to cope with catastrophe and with often crippling disease.Table of ContentsA noiseless flash; the fire; details are being investigated; panic grass and feverfew; the aftermath.

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Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER2025 marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Read and remember the history that led to this important moment. 'This book is his best yet . . . Dimbleby's work is in a different league, told with such skill and judgment' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday TimesA gripping and authoritative account of the year that sealed the fate of the Nazis, from the bestselling historianJune 1944: In Operation Bagration, more than two million Red Army soldiers, facing 500,000 German soldiers, finally avenged their defeat in Operation Barbarossa in 1941. The same month saw the Allies triumph on the beaches of Normandy, but, despite the myths that remain, it was the events on the Eastern Front that sealed Hitler's fate and destroyed Nazism. In his new book, bestselling historian Jonathan Dimbleby describes and analyses this momentous year, covering the military, political and diplomatic story in his evocative style. Drawing on previously untranslated German, Russian and Polish sources, we see how sophisticated new forms of deception and ruthless Partisan warfare shifted the Soviets' fortunes, how their triumphs effectively gave Stalin authority to occupy Eastern Europe and how it was the events of 1944 that enabled Stalin to dictate the terms of the post-war settlement, laying the foundations for the Cold War . . . 'Mr. Dimbleby is a sure-footed guide to the labyrinthine military operations along a front line that extended nearly 2,000 miles, from the Baltic to the Black Sea' Wall Street Journal'Terrific . . . a tour de force' Sir Richard Evans'Military history at its very best' Keith LoweSunday Time Bestseller, June 2024

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Book SynopsisJeremy Black MBE is one of the leading historians in Britain today. He is Visiting Professor to the Indonesian Staff College, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Exeter, Distinguished Fellow in the Center for Military History and Strategy at Hillsdale College, Senior Research Fellow of the British Foreign Policy Group, and Senior Fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. In 2008, he won the Samuel Eliot Morison Prize from the Society for Military History. He has written over 100 books covering 18th-century transatlantic history, international relations, the role of the press and the nature of warfare among other subjects. Many of his books have become staples of university courses across the United Kingdom. Some of his recent titles include A History of the 20th Century (2020), A Brief History of the Pacific (2023) and The Atlantic Slave Trade in World History (2024).

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Book Synopsis*RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK* SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES TAIT BLACK PRIZE THE JHALAK PRIZE THE BREAD AND ROSES AWARD & LONGLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING ''This is the book I''ve been waiting for - for years. It''s personal, historical, political, and it speaks to where we are now'' Benjamin Zephaniah''I recommend Natives to everyone'' Candice Carty-WilliamsFrom the first time he was stopped and searched as a child, to the day he realised his mum was white, to his first encounters with racist teachers - race and class have shaped Akala''s life and outlook. In this unique book he takes his own experiences and widens them out to look at the social, historical and political factors that have left us where we are today.Covering everything from the police, education and identity to politics, sexual objectification and the far right, Natives speaks directly to British deTrade ReviewMy book of the year. It's personal, historical, political, and it speaks to where we are now. This is the book I've been waiting for - for years * Benjamin Zephaniah *I recommend Natives to everyone * Candice Carty-Williams, author of QUEENIE *Part biography, part polemic, this powerful, wide-ranging study picks apart the British myth of meritocracy -- David Olusoga * Guardian *Akala is at his best destroying the comfortable myths that are invoked by white fragility to downplay attempts to correct the historical record ... Akala makes it clear that he is not brimming with optimism. But reading Natives - witnessing the kind of disruptive, aggressive intellect that a new generation is closely watching - I can't help but be just that -- Afua Hirsch * Observer *What I love about this book is it's kind of like a testimony, a story of contemporary London. He is like one of the Baldwins or Hooks of our generation, who walks among us, you know? When he theorises, it's from a place of knowing rather than some distant place up above . . . He is very good at remembering and honouring the experiences that have shaped him, and he applies it in a very real way -- Madani Younis * Guardian *He is acute on how ideas of race served British global power over centuries, and on the violence at the heart of the imperial project * Guardian *Bracing, illuminating and often discomfiting, an urgent (for many, necessary) polemic - as its near 100% review rating attests * Sunday Times *In his lucid, wide-ranging Natives the rapper Akala shows how race, class and the legacies of empire shape life in Britain today . . . Akala's study interweaves sociological analysis with memoir. Half-Scottish and half-Jamaican by heritage, he challenges cultural assumptions and highlights their consequences, is trenchant about structures of disadvantage, and is discouraging, in the end, about the future * TLS *A potent combination of autobiography and political history which holds up a mirror to contemporary Britain * Independent *One of the most thoughtful books of the past year * Evening Standard *A history lesson of the kind you should get in school but don't ... This is a searing, thought-provoking book * Stylist *Walking us through his childhood experiences, from racist teachers to being stopped and searched by the police, Akala eloquently explains how Britain is in denial about its own history and the legacy of its empire. This phenomenal book guides us through police brutality, the education system and the rise of the far-right in a country that refuses to accept its own reality -- Diyora Shadijanova * The Independent *Akala argues with gripping clarity . . . He's trenchant and highly persuasive * Metro *He is an extremely articulate and intelligent human being, with a great command of the English language . . . I don't think he has any formal degrees but his knowledge is knowledge that he has gone out and sought, he has gone across the country and he lectures and speaks at the top universities. What I like about him is that he is eloquent and knowledgeable about a lot of the issues I am interested in - so racism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, class structure in society, imperialism, post-imperialism and all those kind of things that he is so sharp on. His most recent book, Natives, takes in a lot of those issues and he uses his life as an example of how these different -isms interact. * Maro Itoje, THE SUNDAY TIMES *Akala's singular voice speaks to us with deep wisdom about the past, righteous anger about the present, and stubborn hope about the future. He is a radical for our times. A book bristling with intelligence and insight * Irish Times *An urgent, profound and accessible book. Akala weaves the elements of this wide-ranging book into an engaging, angry, and often funny account that should be pressed into everyone's hands: a personal story, compellingly told, and a devastating analysis of race and class prejudice in our society. Akala is an incredible writer, and this is an important book.Natives is ideal for anyone who is unaware of how institutions like the police and education consistently fail young black people, particularly from working class backgrounds * Evening Standard *In personalised chapters covering the police, education and identity, politics, sexual objectification and the far right, he confronts the issues of race and class at the heart of the legacy of Britain's racialised empire in this fierce and articulate polemic. * The Bookseller *There are lucid, well-cited and sharply argued passages ... which should probably be extracts on the national curriculum * Vice *An essential voice in Britain's debate on race, class and identity * New Humanist *Fantastic * Novaramedia *Blistering * Lacuna *In many ways, Natives is as thorough a dissection of British racial relations as any you're likely to find . . . But it's also a vivid memoir on his own experiences of racism * The Skinny *Akala makes us quietly aware of how much we have left to learn about the world . . . He doesn't shy away from uncomfortable truths backed up with hard facts, which make you sit up and pay attention * Oxford Times *An eminently readable account of what it means to be mixed race in Britain today, and the long-lasting legacies of colonialism. If that all sounds a little heavy for summer, Akala's sardonically droll writing leavens the subject without diminishing its impact * OX Magazine *a book that fulfils the mantra of 'the personal is political' to illuminate both the challenges of, and oppositions to, racism . . . a series of essays, some personal, others political, yet one never divorced from the other * Philosophy Football *A fiercely honest appraisal of growing up poor and mixed race in broken Britain. This heartfelt polemic fights every excuse of racial ignorance * DJ Mag *An engaged and nuanced exploration of the complex interplay between race and class * Morning Star *Vital * Blouin Art Info *Even the guy behind the uni coffee shop counter can't help tiptoeing over to say how much he loves Akala's "outlook on life", now immortalised in print as Natives * Q Magazine *Powerful ... impressive in its historical sweep, mapping the construction of racial identity onto the growth of empire and capitalism [and] full of nuanced cultural critique * The List *A thoughtful history of racism and British views of empire . . . relevant and useful. * Stuff NZ *Akala approaches issues of race and culture with a rare clarity * Otago Daily Times *Breaks down centuries of colonisation, classism, racism and almost every aspect of British society in a disarmingly accessible way. His language is clear and concise, and like the best writers, he challenges assumptions while building comprehension. * The Spinoff *An astounding and brilliant book about black identity * Herald *Engages with students on their level and should be an essential part of rebalanced courses...it's important that there is a text out there that promises light at the end of the tunnel. * The Guardian *Akala draws back the curtain on parts of the empire that it would rather not see, with insights that throw our current position into sharp relief. Illuminating. * The Observer **Number 5/92 of the best books to read right now*. Natives is a book everyone needs to read... It is both personal and political and absolutely necessary reading. * GQ Magazine *A recent book I've loved. He has an ability to understand, convey and articulate big ideas and be respected. He's really making a difference. * The Observer *

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating... One of the most astute political commentators on Putin and modern Russia' Financial Times'An amazing achievement' Peter FrankopanCan anyone truly understand Russia?Russia is a country with no natural borders, no single ethos, no true central identity. At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, it is everyone's 'other'. And yet it is one of the most powerful nations on earth, a master game-player on the global stage with a rich history of war and peace, poets and revolutionaries. In this essential whistle-stop tour of the world's most complex nation, Mark Galeotti takes us behind the myths to the heart of the Russian story: from the formation of a nation to its early legends - including Ivan the Terrible and Catherine the Great - to the rise and fall of the Romanovs, the Russian Revolution, the Cold War, Chernobyl and the end of the Soviet Union - plus the rise of a politician named Vladimir Putin, and the events leading to the Ukrainian war.Trade ReviewThis is terrific - and an amazing achievement to cover so much ground in such a short and wonderfully readable book. * Peter Frankopan *An informative, perceptive and exhilarating canter through 1,000 tumultuous years * Spectator *Fascinating... One of the most astute political commentators on Putin and modern Russia * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE LAMBDA LITERARY LGBTQ SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/HORROR AWARDThe water-breathing descendants of African slave women tossed overboard have built their own underwater society-and must reclaim the memories of their past to shape their future in this brilliantly imaginative novella inspired by the Hugo Award-nominated song "The Deep" from Daveed Diggs's rap group clipping.Yetu holds the memories for her people-water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slave owners-who live idyllic lives in the deep. Their past, too traumatic to be remembered regularly, is forgotten by everyone, save one-the historian. This demanding role has been bestowed on Yetu.Yetu remembers for everyone, and the memories, painful and wonderful, traumatic and terrible and miraculous, are destroying her. And so, she flees to the surface, escaping the memories, the expectations, and the responsibilities-and discovers a world her people left behind long ago.Yetu will learn more than she ever expected to about her own past-and about the future of her people. If they are all to survive, they'll need to reclaim the memories, reclaim their identity-and own who they really are.Inspired by a song produced by the rap group Clipping for the This American Life episode "We Are In The Future," The Deep is vividly original and uniquely affecting.Trade ReviewSolomon's beautiful novella weaves together a moving and evocative narrative that imagines a future created from the scars of the past. Highly recommended for those interested in sf or fantasy that draws upon the legacies of colonialism and racism to imagine different, exciting types of futures. * Booklist *A compelling story about the power and necessity of history and memory. Do not miss this book. * Ann Leckie *The Deep's slim page count disguises the depth of the work within. Rivers Solomon conjures a vast world in her latest novella, one where history and present day collide and love can change lives * Tor.com *Solomon's text stands alone as a wise, daring, touching, and important addition to the Afrofuturist canon, and one that carries its own rhythmic and melodic grace - not to mention a wholly relevant and righteous gravity * NPR *THE DEEP also has an intriguing premise. . . * SFX *It is beautiful and sad and defiant and triumphant, and it's also a love story * Female First *

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Book SynopsisExplore the failures, mistakes and missed opportunities that shaped history in this new entry in the bestselling series.From the botched attempt to create a life-extending elixir that produced gunpowder, to the unsuccessful stint in medical school which led to a career in naturalism for Charles Darwin, to the missile detection system malfunction that almost sparked a nuclear war, the course of human history has so often been shaped by failures of all magnitudes.In fifty bite-sized chapters spanning thousands of years, A Short History of the World in 50 Failures details how the world as we know it has been defined by plans gone awry, opportunities not seized upon and schemes that were always fated to end in catastrophe.Whether it’s the pharaoh Akhenaten’s misplaced attempt to found a new religion or Napoleon’s doomed invasion of Russia, discover a fascinating collection of outsized tales and historical snafus

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZEFrom the bestselling author of UNDERLAND, THE OLD WAYS and THE LOST WORDS''Few books give such a sense of enchantment; it is a book to give to many, and to return to repeatedly'' Independent Words are grained into our landscapes, and landscapes are grained into our words. Landmarks is about the power of language to shape our sense of place. It is a field guide to the literature of nature, and a glossary containing thousands of remarkable words used in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales to describe land, nature and weather.Travelling from Cumbria to the Cairngorms, and exploring the landscapes of Roger Deakin, J. A. Baker, Nan Shepherd and others, Robert Macfarlane shows that language, well used, is a keen way of knowing landscape, and a vital means of coming to love it.''Enormously pleasurable, deeply moving. A bid to save our rich hoard of landscape language, and a blow struck for the power of a deep creative relationship to place'' Financial Times''A book that ought to be read by policymakers, educators, armchair environmentalists and active conservationists the world over'' GuardianTrade ReviewPublisher's description. The number one bestselling book from the author of The Old Ways. This is a celebration of the unique relationship between language and place; a field guide to nature writers from Roger Deakin to Nan Shepherd; and a glossary containing thousands of remarkable, poetic, funny, peculiar and endangered words to describe the natural world. * Penguin *Thoughtful and lyrical writing . . . It's gorgeous -- Katy Guest * Independent on Sunday *Enormously pleasurable, deeply moving . . . Landmarks is both a bid to save our rich hoard of landscape language, and a blow struck for the power of a deep creative relationship to place * Financial Times *His writing has a confidence and enjoyment, a passionate purpose . . . he celebrates our vast, but evaporating, vocabulary for the landscape * Daily Telegraph *A story like this is salutary...Landmarks is a book that ought to be read by policymakers, educators, armchair environmentalists and active conservationists the world over. * Guardian *The writing is full of clarity and internal reflections and the chapters ripple over into each other like a linked chain of mountain pools.... What is remarkable about these words is how precise they are, and how deeply local. They feel as if they somehow grew out of the land itself. A delight. * Sunday Times Magazine *The mood is one of celebration... [Landmarks is] the product of an active academic intelligence and emotional generosity, irradiated by a profound sense of wonder... Few books give such a sense of enchantment; it is a book to give to many, and to return to repeatedly * Independent *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE 2020A SUNDAY TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, THE TIMES AND BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE BOOK OF THE YEARFor most of human history, the seas and oceans have been the main means of long-distance trade and communication between peoples - for the spread of ideas and religion as well as commerce. This book traces the history of human movement and interaction around and across the world''s greatest bodies of water, charting our relationship with the oceans from the time of the first voyagers. David Abulafia begins with the earliest of seafaring societies - the Polynesians of the Pacific, the possessors of intuitive navigational skills long before the invention of the compass, who by the first century were trading between their far-flung islands. By the seventh century, trading routes stretched from the coasts of Arabia and Africa to southern China and Japan, bringing together the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific and linking half the world through the international spice trade. In the Atlantic, centuries before the little kingdom of Portugal carved out its powerful, seaborne empire, many peoples sought new lands across the sea - the Bretons, the Frisians and, most notably, the Vikings, now known to be the first Europeans to reach North America. As Portuguese supremacy dwindled in the late sixteenth century, the Spanish, the Dutch and then the British each successively ruled the waves.Following merchants, explorers, pirates, cartographers and travellers in their quests for spices, gold, ivory, slaves, lands for settlement and knowledge of what lay beyond, Abulafia has created an extraordinary narrative of humanity and the oceans. From the earliest forays of peoples in hand-hewn canoes through uncharted waters to the routes now taken daily by supertankers in their thousands, The Boundless Sea shows how maritime networks came to form a continuum of interaction and interconnection across the globe: 90 per cent of global trade is still conducted by sea. This is history of the grandest scale and scope, and from a bracingly different perspective - not, as in most global histories, from the land, but from the boundless seas.Trade ReviewIn its mixture of supreme storytelling, beautifully drawn characters, fearless scope and rigorous scholarship, it ranks with the very best of world histories. ... From Morocco to Hawaii, Australia to the Persian Gulf, he delivers an intense and thrilling tour de force, filled with pirates, kings, scholars, monsters, conquerors, sailors, merchants, adventurers, slavers and slaves, taking us from the age of triremes and longships, hulks and cogs, dhows and junks, galleons and dreadnoughts, all the way up to the container ship. -- Simon Sebag-Montefiore * Daily Telegraph *His grasp of the material is not so much encyclopaedic as breathtaking ... this is a tour de force. Writing history on this scale is challenging and enormously impressive; the author deserves applause for a magisterial achievement. -- Peter Frankopan * Sunday Times *The Boundless Sea is a work of immense scholarship, a forensic tribute to human enterprise. ... After reading this book your horizons will be wonderfully expanded, and you'll be as eager as the Ancient Mariner to retell its stories... Abulafia's masterpiece has the potential to alter the way we understand the human story and our place within it. -- Horatio Clare * Spectator *David Abulfia's The Boundless Sea is a hugely ambitious masterpiece and quite rightly was the winner of this year's Wolfson prize for history. It is a mighty thassolo-gasm and a triumphant successor to his wonderful history of the Mediterranean. Remarkably, it manages to stitch together and make accessible some diverse and often intractable bits of ocean history, and is an astonishingly accomplished work of both scholarly synthesis and fluent narrative history. -- William Dalrymple * The Spectator Books of the Year *Nothing less than a history of humanity written from the perspective of the sea -- Jerry Brotton * Financial Times *He tells, in broad strokes and pin-sharp detail, the story of how humanity has crossed the oceans to explore, trade and fight ... A big book, full of surprises. I can open it at any page and be engrossed in his incredible scholarship and vivid narrative. -- Hugh Johnson * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisIn 1997, Tony Blair won the biggest Labour victory in history to sweep the party to power and end eighteen years of Conservative government. He remains the only living Labour leader to have won a general election.He has been one of the most dynamic leaders of modern times; few British prime ministers have shaped the nation''s course as profoundly as Blair during his ten years in power, and his achievements and his legacy will be debated for years to come.His memoirs reveal in intimate detail this unique political and personal journey, providing an insight into the man, the politician and the statesman, and charting successes, controversies and disappointments with an extraordinary candour.A Journey will prove essential and compulsive reading for anyone who wants to understand the complexities of our global world. As an account of the nature and uses of power, it will also have a readership that extends well beyond politics, to all those who want to understand the challenges of leadership today.Trade ReviewWritten in a congenial style peppered with slang and gossipy asides. At one moment he is the bloke in the pub. The next, he is Churchill -- Ben MacIntyre * The Times *This is a more honest political memoir than most and more open in many respects than I had anticipated. He is compellingly candid about how scared he was when he first became prime minister . . . He is unusually direct about his calculations, even when they don't reflect well on him . . . He admits to stretching the truth beyond `breaking point' to secure a settlement in Northern Ireland. Even when the lies are told in a noble cause, few politicians are honest enough to admit that they sometimes feel compelled to be deceivers -- Andrew Rawnsley * The Observer *He is by turns outspoken, provocative, unrepentant, often serious, sometimes funny -- David Frost * Al Jazeera *Tony Blair's memoir is part psychodrama, part treatise on the frustrations of leadership in a modern democracy . . . The book's broader purpose is to preserve his legacy, settling scores, justifying the war against Iraq, and mounting a defiant plea to his party to keep faith with New Labour . . . Blair comes across as likable, if manipulative; capable of dissembling while wonderfully fluent; in short, a brilliant modern politician -- Lionel Barber * Financial Times *Will certainly become a bestseller -- Robert McCrum * The Observer *

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Book SynopsisThe story of Spain''s rise to greatness from its humble beginnings as one of the poorest and most marginal of European countries is a remarkable and dramatic one. With the marriage of Ferdinand & Isabella, the final expulsion of the Moslems and the discovery of America, Spain took on a seemingly unstoppable dynamism that made it into the world''s first global power. This amazing success however created many powerful enemies and Elliott''s famous book charts the dramatic fall of Habsburg Spain with the same elan as it charts the rise.Trade ReviewA major work on Spanish history (The Economist)"Table of ContentsImperial Spain 1469-1716AcknowledgmentsForewordPrologue1. The Union of the Crowns1. Origins of the union2. The two Crowns3. The decline of the Crown of Aragon4. Unequal partners2. Reconquest and Conquest1. The Reconquista completed2. The advance into Africa3. Medieval antecedents4. Conquest5. Settlement3. The Ordering of Spain1. The "new monarchy"2. The assertion of royal authority in Castile3. The Church and the Faith4. The economic and social foundations of the New Spain5. The open society4. The Imperial Destiny1. The foreign policy of Ferdinand2. The Habsburg succession3. Nationalism and revolt4. The imperial destiny5. The Government and the Economy in the Reign of Charles V1. The theory and practice of empire2. The organization of empire3. The Castilian economy4. The problems of imperial finance5. The liquidation of Charles's imperialism6. Race and Religion1. The advance of heresy2. The imposition of orthodoxy3. The Spain of the Counter-Reformation4. The crisis of the 1560s5. The second rebellion of the Alpujarras (1568-70)6. The Faith militant and the Faith triumphant7. "One Monarch, One Empire, and One Sword"1. King and Court2. The faction struggles3. The annexation of Portugal4. The revolt of Aragon (1591-2)8. Splendour and Misery1. The crisis of the 1590s2. The failure of leadership3. The pattern of society9. Revival and Disaster1. The reform programme2. The strain of war3. 16404. Defeat and survival10. Epitaph on an Empire1. The centre and the periphery2. The change of dynasty3. The failure4. The achievementNotes on Further ReadingIndexMapsIberian Expansion in the 16th and 17th Centuries1. The Iberian Peninsula. Physical Features2. Habsburg Spain3. The Conquest of Grenada4. The Four Inheritances of Charles V5. The Collapse of Spanish PowerTables1. The Union of the Crowns of Castile and Aragon2. The Spanish Habsburgs3. The Conciliat System4. Imports of Treasure5. The Portuguese Succession

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Book Synopsis**WINNER OF THE SCOTTISH NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2021****A FINANCIAL TIMES, I PAPER AND STYLIST BOOK OF THE YEAR**''In his absorbing book about the lost and the gone, Peter Ross takes us from Flanders Fields to Milltown to Kensal Green, to melancholy islands and surprisingly lively ossuaries . . . a considered and moving book on the timely subject of how the dead are remembered, and how they go on working below the surface of our lives.'' - Hilary Mantel''Ross is a wonderfully evocative writer, deftly capturing a sense of place and history, while bringing a deep humanity to his subject. He has written a delightful book.'' - The Guardian''The pages burst with life and anecdote while also examining our relationship with remembrance.'' - Financial Times (best travel books of 2020)''Among the year''s most surprising sleeper successes is A Tomb with a View. In a year witTrade ReviewAbsorbing . . . considered and moving. * Hilary Mantel *Fascinating . . . Ross makes a likeably idiosyncratic guide and one finishes the book feeling strangely optimistic about the inevitable. * The Observer *The pages burst with life and anecdote while also examining our relationship with remembrance. * Financial Times *Among the year's most surprising "sleeper" successes is A Tomb with a View, Peter Ross's critically acclaimed ode to "the stories and glories of graveyards". In a year with so much death, it may have initially seemed a hard sell, but the author's humanity has instead acted as a beacon of light in the darkness. * The Sunday Times *Never has a book about death been so full of life. James Joyce and Charles Dickens would've loved it - a book that reveals much gravity in the humour and many stories in the graveyard. It also reveals Peter Ross to be among the best non-fiction writers in the country. * Andrew O'Hagan *I have nothing but admiration for his way to winkle out a story from the living as well as paying homage to the dead. * The Scotsman *Ross has written [a] lively elegy to Britain's best burial grounds. * Evening Standard *A brilliant buy * Stylist *A startling, delight-filled tour of graveyards and the people who love them, dazzlingly told. * Denise Mina *Beautifully written and strangely life affirming. * Norman Blake, Teenage Fanclub *A walk through the graveyards of Britain guided by one of the most engaging wordsmiths willing to take you by the hand. * The Big Issue *It is not too fanciful to talk of the soul of A Tomb With A View. It is replete with stories but it echoes with something profound. * The Herald *Scottish journalist Ross's meander around graveyards raises profound questions about the way in which we mourn * I News - Christmas Gift Guide 2020 *Peter Ross makes a fine contribution to the library of books about "being planted". . . I have nothing but admiration for his way to winkle out a story from the living as well as paying homage to the dead * The Scotsman’s Scottish Books of the Year *Everyday humanity, an acknowledgement of how life continues in the presence of the dead. . . is writ large in A Tomb with a View, in Ross's encounters with tour guides, local historians, a gardener, a stonecutter, even a recent widow. * Prospect *Ross's book is an engaging ramble among the gravestones and burial plots of Britain and Ireland * Irish Examiner *I'm a card-carrying admirer of Peter Ross. * Robert Macfarlane *His stories are always a joy. * Ian Rankin *An evocative and uplifting exploration of cemeteries, where every headstone has a story to tell. . . Ross is a wonderfully evocative writer, deftly capturing a sense of place and history, while bringing a deep humanity to his subject. He has written a delightful book. * The Guardian Book of The Day *Ross' development into a sensitive and empathetic observer of social ritual has culminated in this treasure * The Big Issue *A phenomenal, lyrical, beautiful book * Frank Turner *A startling, delight-filled tour of graveyards and the people who love them, dazzlingly told. * Denise Mina *[a] celebration of life and of love. It confronts our universal fate but tends towards a comforting embrace of mortality. It is also imbued with something deeply moving. * The Herald *

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Book SynopsisChoice Outstanding Academic Title 2023This volume brings together 25 defining texts in global history. These pieces cover approaches to the subject from antiquity to the present century and, taken together, show the development of the discipline, providing a solid historiographical, theoretical and methodological overview that will be invaluable for students. The collection gives a unique sense of how, at different times, in different cultural circumstances, students of the past have approached the problems of encompassing the world in a single narrative or theory. This is a reader with an implicit story to unfold. Felipe Fernandez-Armesto tracks how a global understanding of history originated in prophetic writings, how the Renaissance discovery of the world multiplied the opportunities for historians to think about history globally, how scientific investigations of change came to exert influence and inspire new thinking among global historians, how culture wars ensued between advoTrade ReviewIn spirit, global history is an age-old endeavour. At the same time, each manifestation is highly specific to its moment, with its own particular set of constraints and possibilities. Prof. Fernández-Armesto shows this with aplomb for the Western tradition, not just through the essays, which are judiciously chosen, but also through his introductory remarks, which are written with flare and a telling eye, highlighting the import of their subject for both students and scholars. * Gagandeep S. Sood, Associate Professor, International History Department, London School of Economics, UK *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Prophecy and Providentialism 1. The Book of Daniel, Chapters 7-12 2. Paulus Orosius, Seven Books Against the Pagans, Dedication, From Book I, Section 1 and from Books II (Section 1), V (Sections 1-2) and VII (Sections 1-3) 3. M. Reeves, Joachim of Fiore and the Prophetic Future, From Chapter 1, “Joachim and the Meaning of History” 4. From Ibn Khaldun, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History Part II: From Providence to Progress 5. Johann Gottfried Herder, Outlines of a Philosophy of the History of Man, Book XV, Chapters 1-5 6. Immanuel Kant, Idea for a Universal History from a Cosmopolitan Point of View, On History [1784] 7. G.W.F. Hegel, Lectures on the Philosophy of World History, “The Course of the World’s History,” vol. iii, sections 60-99. 8. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party [1848], Chapter 1 9. Leopold von Ranke, Universal History: The Oldest Historical Group of Nations and the Greeks [1884], Preface Part III: The Scientific Temptation 10. Herbert Spencer, “Progress: Its Law and Consequences” [1886], Chapter 1 11. Christopher Dawson, The Age of the Gods [1928], “Introduction” 12. David Christian, “World History in Context” [2003] 13. Richard Lewontin and Joseph Fraccia, “Does Culture Evolve?” [1994] 14. Felipe Fernández-Armesto, “How to be Human: A Historical Approach” [2010] 15. Daniel Lord Smail, “Neuroscience and the Dialectics of History” [2012] Part IV: Comparative and Contextual Approaches 16. Ian G. Simmons, ‘“To Civility and Man´s Use”: History, Culture, and Nature’ [1998] 17. Jared M.Diamond, “Colonization Cycles in Man and Beast” [1977] 18. Kenneth Pomeranz, “Social History and World History from Daily Life to Patterns of Change” [2007] 19. Bruce Mazlish, “Comparing Global History to World History” [1998] Part V: The Eurocentrism Controversies 20. Arnold J. Toynbee, “My View of History” [1948] 21. Samuel Huntington,. “The Clash of Civilizations” [1993] 22. J.C. van Leur, Indonesian Trade and Society: Essays in Asian Social and Economic History [1967], Chapter 1: “On Methodology and Theory” 23. W.H. McNeill, “A Defence of World History” [1982] Envoi: The New Narratives 24. David Christian, “The Return of Universal History” [2010] 25. David Northrup, “Globalization and the Great Convergence: Rethinking World History in the Long Term” [2008]

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Book SynopsisJonathan Mahler is a longtime staff writer for the New York Times Magazine and the author of the best-selling Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning, which was adapted as an ESPN mini-series, and The Challenge, a New York Times Notable Book. His journalism has been featured in The Best American Sports Writing, and has received numerous awards. He lives in Brooklyn.

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Book SynopsisSince 1945 the world has changed at breakneck speed. In thisunique social history, acclaimed bestselling historian Alistair Moffat tells the story of these changes many of which have been dizzying and disorientating and how they have affected each and every one of us in all parts of the country.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThis is the charming story, based on fact, of the love of a Skye terrier called Bobby for his master in nineteenth-century Edinburgh. Bobby and his master 'Auld Jock', a Pentland Hills farmer, were inseparable and for fourteen years after Auld Jock's death little Bobby made his home near the old man's grave in the cemetery in Greyfriars Kirkyard. He was loved and cared for by the local people who were touched by the bond between the dog and his master. A life-size statue of Bobby still stands in Edinburgh, commemorating his devotion and loyalty near Greyfriars.

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Book SynopsisExistentialism is backCarpe diem – ‘seize the day’ – is one of the oldest pieces of life advice in Western history. But its true spirit has been hijacked by ad men and self-help gurus, reduced to the instant hit of one-click online shopping, or slogans like ‘live in the now’. We need to reclaim it to make sense of our complex, confusing times.The last great expression of carpe diem was in the electrifying existential philosophy of the 1940s. Today it’s an idea that challenges us to confront our mortality and live with greater passion and intention rather than scroll mindlessly on our phones or allow freedom to become a mere choice between brands. In Carpe Diem Regained,Roman Krznaric reinvents existentialism for our age of information and choice overload. An essential and empowering work of contemporary philosophy, the book unveils the surprising ways of seizing the day that humankind has discovered over the centuries, ones we urgently need to revive.Carpe diem is the Nexistentialism for our times.Trade Review"I’ve started reading Roman Krznaric’s Carpe Diem Regained: The Vanishing Art of Seizing the Day – and it’s brilliant. One of those rare books that forces you to ask what the hell you’re doing with your life." -- George Monbiot * Guardian *"I have always been inspired by carpe diem so I'm delighted to have your book." -- Dame Judi Dench"With more than ever distracting us, it’s an insightful guide to staying foc – er, what did you want?" -- Best Books for Summer * Forbes *"A rather wonderful new book is trying to seize back the noble art of day-seizing." -- Viv Groskop * The Pool *"As always Roman takes a unique look at the world we’ve created. Insightful and thought provoking." -- Tim Lovejoy

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